U.S. patent number 8,600,457 [Application Number 11/948,157] was granted by the patent office on 2013-12-03 for sleep mode for mobile communication device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Microsoft Corporation. The grantee listed for this patent is Anton Andrews, Peter Chin, Keith Rowe, Sandra Irene Vargas. Invention is credited to Anton Andrews, Peter Chin, Keith Rowe, Sandra Irene Vargas.
United States Patent |
8,600,457 |
Vargas , et al. |
December 3, 2013 |
Sleep mode for mobile communication device
Abstract
A method and apparatus for operating a mobile communication
device in a sleep mode. The mobile communication device displays a
time in an easily readable format at a low-light intensity,
provides an alert to a user at an alarm time in a particular manner
specified by the user, changes the buttons on the mobile
communication device to operate as snooze buttons, and suppresses a
portion of call and message notifications received by the mobile
communication device when the mobile communication device is in the
sleep mode. The sleep mode operation is performed, at least in
part, according to sleep-mode user settings chosen by the user.
Inventors: |
Vargas; Sandra Irene
(Sammamish, WA), Rowe; Keith (Seattle, WA), Chin;
Peter (Seattle, WA), Andrews; Anton (Seattle, WA) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Vargas; Sandra Irene
Rowe; Keith
Chin; Peter
Andrews; Anton |
Sammamish
Seattle
Seattle
Seattle |
WA
WA
WA
WA |
US
US
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Microsoft Corporation (Redmond,
WA)
|
Family
ID: |
40676282 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/948,157 |
Filed: |
November 30, 2007 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20090143114 A1 |
Jun 4, 2009 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
455/574;
455/412.2; 455/418 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M
1/72466 (20210101); H04W 52/0258 (20130101); H04W
52/027 (20130101); Y02D 30/70 (20200801); H04M
1/72445 (20210101); H04M 1/72451 (20210101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04B
1/38 (20060101); H04M 3/00 (20060101); H04M
1/725 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;455/574,566,567,412.2,418,414.3 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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1809082 |
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Jul 2006 |
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CN |
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2005309751 |
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Nov 2005 |
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JP |
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10-2005-0087973 |
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Sep 2005 |
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KR |
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100764413 |
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Sep 2007 |
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KR |
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10-2008-0021375 |
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Mar 2008 |
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KR |
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2007069234 |
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Jun 2007 |
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WO |
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Other References
iPod Alarm Clock Radio http://www.i4u.com/article3862.html. cited
by applicant .
Luna Docking Station/Radio Alarm Clock
http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/570584/art/xtrememac/luna-docking-station-
-radi.html#fichetechnique. cited by applicant .
Review GSM phone Samsung Serene or a joint product with
Bang&Olufsen
http://www.mobile-review.com/review/samsung-e910-serene-en.shtml.
cited by applicant .
"What is a chumby?" www.chumby.com/story, Sep. 6, 2007. cited by
applicant .
WolfClock, "Clock with support for backgrounds, personalized tones
and songs" http://wolfclock.en.softonic.com/pocket Sep. 6, 2007.
cited by applicant .
International Search Report & The Written Opinion of the
International Searching Authority mailed Mar. 2, 2009, Patent
Cooperation Treaty, Application No. PCT/US2008/084729 filed Nov.
25, 2008. cited by applicant .
Office Action dated Nov. 13, 2012 in Russian Patent Application No.
2010121867/07. cited by applicant .
Response to Office Action filed Nov. 28, 2012 in Russian Patent
Application No. 2010121867/07. cited by applicant .
Office Action dated Jan. 18, 2013 in Chinese Patent Application No.
2008801186405. cited by applicant .
English translation of Abstract for CN1809082 published Jul. 26,
2006. cited by applicant .
English translation of Abstract for JP2005309751 published Nov. 4,
2005. cited by applicant .
Voluntary Amendments dated Nov. 3, 2011, Chinese Patent Application
No. 200880118640.5. cited by applicant .
English translation of amended claims filed in Voluntary Amendments
dated Nov. 3, 2011, Chinese Patent Application No. 200880118640.5.
cited by applicant .
Voluntary Amendments dated Oct. 14, 2011, Japanese Patent
Application No. 2010-536137. cited by applicant .
English translation of amended claims filed in Voluntary Amendments
dated Oct. 14, 2011, Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-536137.
cited by applicant .
Response to Office Action filed Feb. 4, 2013 in Chinese Patent
Application No. 200880118640.5. cited by applicant .
Office Action dated Mar. 26, 2013 in Chinese Patent Application No.
200880118640.5. cited by applicant .
Response to Office Action filed Apr. 26, 2013 in Chinese Patent
Application No. 200880118640.5. cited by applicant .
Extended European Search Report dated Mar. 5, 2013 in European
Patent Application No. 08854078.6. cited by applicant .
Amendment filed Oct. 11, 2013 in European Patent Application No.
08854078.6. cited by applicant.
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Primary Examiner: Chang; Kent
Assistant Examiner: Au; Scott
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Vierra Magen Marcus LLP
Claims
We claim:
1. A method for operating a cell phone device in a sleep mode, said
cell phone device having a screen display providing a
communication-mode display at a first light intensity when said
cell phone device is in a communication mode and input control
hardware controlling communication functions in said communication
mode, the sleep mode method comprising: rendering a sleep-mode
display on the cell phone at a sleep-mode light intensity, said
sleep-mode display including a time display occupying a majority of
an area of said screen display during the sleep mode, said
sleep-mode light intensity being dimmer than said first light
intensity, the time display occupying a minority of the area in
said communication mode; alerting a user with an alarm at an alarm
time specified in sleep-mode user settings; suppressing at least a
portion of call and at least a portion of message notifications;
and interrupting said communication functions of at least a portion
of said input control hardware when said user is alerted during
said alerting, said interrupting temporarily reassigning the
functionality of at least a portion of the input control hardware
and allowing said user to suspend said alarm using said portion of
said input control hardware.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: said sleep-mode user
settings specify user preferences for operating said cell phone
device in said sleep mode, the user preferences including an alarm
time setting, a data synchronization activation function, a custom
data retrieval function, and a device update function.
3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: said sleep mode is
enabled by one of: a sleep-mode time indicated in said sleep-mode
user settings, manual initiation by said user, or docking said cell
phone device in a docking station.
4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: said step of
suppressing at least a portion of call and message notifications is
based on user defined priority call settings.
5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: updating
software for said cell phone device including downloading and
installing software updates for said cell phone device during said
sleep mode prior to said alerting step.
6. The method according to claim 5, wherein: said updating occurs
through internet access provided through said cell phone
device.
7. The method according to claim 5, wherein: said cell phone device
is docked in a docking station; and said updating occurs through
internet access provided through said docking station.
8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
synchronizing cell phone data stored on said cell phone device with
device data stored on another device.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein: said synchronizing
occurs through wireless communication provided through said cell
phone device.
10. The method according to claim 8, wherein: said cell phone
device is docked in a docking station; and said synchronizing
occurs through wireless communication provided through said docking
station.
11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: retrieving
custom data specified by said user, said custom data includes at
least one of: weather, traffic, stock information, news, email, or
sports; and providing said custom data to said user when said alarm
is provided.
12. A method for operating a cell phone device in a sleep mode, the
cell phone device having a communication mode and input control
hardware controlling communication functions in said communication
mode, comprising: dimming a cell phone display of said cell phone
device so that said display is readable in a dark environment;
rendering a time display on a majority of an area of said cell
phone display during said sleep mode, the time display occupying a
minority of the area of said cell phone display during said
communication mode; checking for software updates for said cell
phone device during said sleep mode and downloading and installing
software updates for said device during said sleep mode; receiving
a specified alarm time via the input control hardware; activating
an alarm mode for said cell phone device, the alarm mode sounding
an alarm that alerts a user with an alarm at the alarm time
specified; activating a snooze function during the alarm mode, the
snooze function interrupting said communication functions of at
least a portion of input control hardware on said cell phone and
temporarily reassigning the functionality of at least a portion of
the input control hardware to convert said portion of input control
hardware to function as snooze buttons when said alarm alerts said
user at the alarm time specified, said activating said snooze
function allowing said user to temporarily turn off said alarm
using said portion of said input control hardware; and suppressing
at least a portion of call and at least a portion of message
notifications.
13. The method according to claim 12, wherein ending the alarm
returns the cell phone to a communication mode.
14. The method according to claim 12, wherein: said sleep mode is
enabled by one of: a sleep-mode time indicated in said sleep-mode
user settings, manual initiation by said user, or docking said cell
phone device in a docking station.
15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:
synchronizing cell phone data stored on said cell phone device with
device data stored on another device.
16. The method according to claim 12, further comprising: preparing
said cell phone device to retrieve custom data specified by said
user, said custom data includes at least one of: weather, traffic,
stock information, news, email, or sports; retrieving said custom
data; and providing said custom data to said user at said alarm
time set by said user.
17. A cell phone including a display, input/output hardware, a
processor and memory, said cell phone including a communication
mode and input/output hardware controlling communication functions
in said communication mode for sending and receiving communications
and processor readable code including instructions for performing
steps comprising: dimming said display to a brightness less than a
communication mode brightness; rendering a time display on a
majority of an area of said display during a sleep mode, and a
minority of said area during the communication mode; downloading
and installing software updates for said device during said sleep
mode; alerting a user with an alarm at an alarm time specified by
said user; interrupting said input/output hardware controlling
communication functions of at least a portion of said input/output
hardware by temporarily reassigning the functionality of at least a
portion of the input control hardware to convert said portion of
said input/output hardware to function as snooze buttons when said
user is alerted at the alarm time specified and allowing said user
to temporarily turn off said alarm using said portion of said
input/output hardware; suppressing at least a portion of call and
message notifications during said sleep mode; synchronizing cell
phone data stored on said cell phone with device data stored on
another device; and retrieving custom data specified by said user
and providing said custom data to said user at said alarm time.
18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein: said
synchronizing occurs through wireless communication provided by
said cell phone.
19. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein: said cell phone
is docked in a docking station; and said synchronizing occurs
through wireless communication provided by said docking station.
Description
BACKGROUND
Mobile communication device capabilities, such as those of cell
phones, have advanced immensely in recent years. Applications that
provide email and internet access, calendar and scheduling
features, music player capabilities, and synchronization to other
devices are just a few of the available features on many cell
phones. Due to these advancements, cell phone users have begun to
rely more heavily on their cell phones for managing and accessing
their contacts, schedules, and other information.
One feature commonly provided in a cell phone is an alarm or
reminder feature. However, cell phones generally include relatively
unsophisticated implementations of an alarm or reminder. Typically,
an alarm clock on a cell phone simply allows a user to set one or
more alarms for particular times that the user would like an alert,
but the alarm clock setting on most cell phones does very little
more than that.
SUMMARY
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a
simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed
Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features
or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it
intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the
claimed subject matter.
One aspect of the present technology allows a cell phone to operate
in a sleep mode based on user-defined sleep-mode settings. The
sleep mode feature provides an alert to a user at an alarm time
specified by the user. During the sleep mode, the display lighting
can be subdued, and the time can be displayed in a format which is
enhanced to allow for checking of the time in a dark environment.
The buttons on the cell phone can function as snooze buttons,
unless the specific alarm-off button is pressed. Furthermore, at
least a portion of calls and messages received by the cell phone
can be suppressed.
Another aspect of the present technology allows the sleep mode to
be triggered automatically when the cell phone is docked in a
docking station. The docking station can provide buttons for snooze
and alarm-off functionality as well.
Another aspect of the present technology allows the cell phone to
install software updates during the sleep mode based on the
sleep-mode settings. The present technology also allows the cell
phone to synchronize cell phone data with data on another device
during the sleep mode based on the sleep-mode settings. This can be
performed using communication provided through either the phone or
the docking station.
Another aspect of the present technology provides custom data to
the user at the alarm time specified by the sleep-mode settings.
For example, custom data can include news, traffic, weather,
sports, email, stock information, and the like.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 depicts an example of typical cell phone architecture.
FIG. 2 is a flow chart for one process of operating a cell phone
device in a sleep mode.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart for one process of transitioning a cell
phone device to a sleep mode based on sleep mode user settings.
FIG. 4A depicts an example of a cell phone device operating in a
communication mode.
FIG. 4B depicts an example of a cell phone device operating in a
sleep mode.
FIG. 5 depicts an example of a cell phone device docked in a
docking station during a sleep mode.
FIG. 6 depicts an example of sleep mode settings available to a
user.
FIG. 7 depicts an example display of custom data provided to a user
at a set alarm time.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The various aspects of the present technology provide a sleep mode
of operation of a mobile communication device. A mobile
communication device may comprise a cell phone, a PDA, a smart
phone, and the like. For discussion purposes, such devices will be
referred to as a cell phone; however, reference to a cell phone
encompasses the variety of mobile communication devices.
A cell phone typically operates in what will be referred to as a
communication mode. The communication mode encompasses operations
normally utilized by a cell phone, including, for example,
operation of communication capabilities controlled by the hardware
buttons on the device. The communication mode may include sending
and receiving calls, text messages, and email. The communication
mode includes displaying a menu to access applications on the cell
phone and manual access to those applications via the hardware
buttons. The communication mode may allow playing music, entering
contact information, playing games, and numerous other functions
performed through applications on the cell phone.
The sleep mode of the present technology is a mode of operation
which transforms the cell phone into a device that is optimized for
idle operation, such as when the user is sleeping, for example.
FIG. 1 depicts an example of typical architecture for a cell phone.
The cell phone device 100 has memory 110, a physical connector 120,
processor 140, an input/output (I/O) controller 150, a cellular
radio channel and WLAN/WMAN data channel 160, and power controller
170. Each of these components is connected through the system bus
180 of the cell phone 100.
Memory 110 includes the cell phone's operating system 112,
applications 114, and non-volatile storage 130. Memory 110 can be
any variety of memory storage media types, including non-volatile
and volatile memory. The operating system 112 handles the different
operations of the cell phone 100 and may contain user interfaces
for operations, such as placing and receiving phone calls, text
messaging, checking voicemail, and the like. The applications 114
can be any assortment of programs, such as a camera application for
photos and/or videos, an address book application, a calendar
application, a media player, an internet browser, games, an alarm
application, other third party applications, and the like. The
non-volatile storage component 130 in memory 110 contains data such
as web caches, music, photos, contact data, scheduling data, and
other files.
The operating system 112 manages the hardware of the cell phone
100, including hardware such as the display 152, speaker 154,
keyboard 156, and camera 158. The operating system 112 also manages
software (i.e. applications 114) on the cell phone 100 for
performing tasks requested by the user and handling incoming data,
for example. This occurs through the operating system's control and
allocation memory (i.e. RAM), system tasks, system resources, files
systems, and the like. The processor 140 executes operations for
the cell phone according to this control and allocation. For
example, a user may attempt to open a video file through a media
player application using the keyboard 156 on the cell phone 100. In
this case, the operating system 112 may direct the processor 140 to
open the desired file stored in the non-volatile storage component
130. During this process, the operating system 112 may also direct
the processor 140 to control the operation of other applications
concurrently in use, such as an application for receiving calls.
Once the file is accessed, the operating system 112 may direct the
processor 140 to control the input and output devices using the I/O
controller 150 to play the sounds on speaker 154 and images on
display 152 for the video file.
The power controller 170 of the cell phone 100 allocates power from
the cell phone's power supply 172 to the circuitry for different
cell phone components used to operate the cell phone 100 and its
different features.
Additionally, the physical connector 120 can be used to connect the
cell phone 100 to an external power source, such as an AC adapter
or powered docking station. Such a connection can be used to charge
the cell phone's power supply 172 via the power controller 170. The
physical connector 120 can also be used as a data connection to a
computing device. The data connection allows for operations such as
synchronizing cell phone data with the computing data on another
device.
The cell phone 100 also contains a cellular radio channel and
WLAN/WMAN data channel 160 for receiving and transmitting data,
such as phone calls, text messages, email, webpage data, and the
like. Cellular radio communication can occur through any of the
standard network protocols of cell phone communication (i.e. GSM,
PCS, D-AMPS, UMTS, and the like.). The cell phone 100 may also
contain additional communication channels 162, such as Wi-fi,
Bluetooth, and the like, for receiving and transmitting data as
well. The cell phone 100 may have additional functional elements
for communication 164, such as GPS. Each of the described
communication mediums is accessed via the antenna 166 on the cell
phone 100. The communication mediums for operations of the cell
phone 100 are not limited to the mediums described and can include
any other communication mediums known in the art.
FIG. 2 depicts a process for operating a cell phone in a sleep mode
through a sleep mode application. The sleep mode application can be
stored with the collection of applications 114 stored in memory
110. In one implementation, the sleep mode application is a
stand-alone application that can be installed on any cell phone
device. In another implementation, the sleep mode application is a
pre-installed device application that may be included with the cell
phone 100.
The sleep mode application allows a user to specify different
preferences for operating the cell phone in the sleep mode, such as
an alarm time at which the user would like an alert. The user may
specify display options, such as how to subdue the display lighting
or whether to display a clock during the sleep mode, for example.
The user may also specify whether calls should be suppressed during
the sleep mode. For example, a notification tone for all calls
received during the sleep mode may be set to silent. The user may
specify whether the cell phone's hardware buttons should function
as snooze buttons when the user is alerted at the specified alarm
time. The user may specify whether software updates should be
downloaded and installed during the sleep mode. The user may also
specify whether the cell phone's data (i.e. contacts, calendars,
and the like.) should be synchronized with data on another device
during the sleep mode. The user may specify whether to retrieve
custom data at the alarm time. The custom data can be offline
content received through a data feed. This data feed can be any
format typically used to retrieve web content (i.e. RSS, XML, and
the like.) The user may specify what type of custom data to
retrieve (i.e. new, weather, traffic, and the like.) and whether
the custom data should be provided to the user at the alarm time.
Each of the preferences for sleep mode settings is described in
more detail in the description of FIG. 3.
In one embodiment, a portion of the sleep mode settings for running
the cell phone in a sleep mode are default settings for the sleep
mode application. Hence, in some embodiments, the default settings
may not be provided as options for the user to specify. Instead,
they are preset default settings for the sleep mode
application.
The sleep mode application may control the input and output devices
of the cell phone during the sleep mode based on the sleep mode
settings. This includes, but is not limited to, control of the cell
phone display, sounds, hardware buttons (i.e. keyboard 156), and
the like. In one embodiment, this control can be performed by the
I/O controller 150 on the cell phone 100. For example, the display
lighting for the cell phone 100 can be controlled by accessing the
I/O controller 150.
In one embodiment, the sleep mode application may also access APIs
of other applications on the cell phone to initiate sleep mode
functions based on the sleep mode settings. For example, the sleep
mode application may access APIs in the cell phone's
synchronization application to initiate synchronization with
another device during the sleep mode if a setting for
synchronization is set in the sleep mode settings.
In step 410 of FIG. 2, the cell phone is running in a communication
mode. As previously described, the communication mode encompasses
the normal operations of the cell phone, including receiving and
sending calls, text messaging, playing music, and entering contact
information, for example. The cell phone continues to operate in
the communication mode unless another mode, such as the sleep mode,
is activated.
In step 420, the sleep mode application checks if the sleep mode
has been activated. In one embodiment, this can be performed by
checking if a sleep mode option in the sleep mode settings has been
set to "on." In another embodiment, this can be performed by
checking whether a specific time for beginning the sleep mode has
arrived. This time can be specified in the sleep mode settings for
the sleep mode application. In another embodiment, this can be
performed by checking whether the cell phone has been docked in a
docking station or is charging. In another embodiment, any one of
these indications can initiate the sleep mode. If the sleep mode
has been initiated by any one of these events, the sleep mode
application will adjust the device to operate in the sleep mode
according to the sleep mode settings (step 430). If the sleep mode
has not been activated, the device will continue operating in the
communication mode.
FIG. 3 describes a process of step 430 (FIG. 2) for adjusting the
cell phone to operate in the sleep mode based on the sleep mode
settings (e.g. set by a user or by default). FIG. 3 depicts
different functions of the sleep mode and how they adjust the cell
phone according to sleep mode settings. These functions include,
but are not limited to, a dimming function 510, a clock function
520, an alarm mode 540, a snooze function 530, a call suppression
function 550, a synchronization function 560, an update function
570, and a custom data retrieval function 580. The order of
operation of these functions is not limited to the example shown in
FIG. 3. Likewise, each of these functions can be performed
simultaneously and/or any one of these functions can be omitted
entirely from the process.
In the example depicted in FIG. 3, the dimming function 510 checks
if there is a sleep mode setting that is set to dim the display of
the cell phone when the cell phone operates in the sleep mode (step
512). In a cell phone operating in the communication mode, the user
interface and operating system typically provide the user with the
capability of setting the brightness intensity for the cell phone
display. Usually, the communication mode will operate using the set
brightness intensity for the cell phone display. During the
communication mode, the cell phone may also turn off the display
after a certain amount of time has passed in which the cell phone
has been idle (i.e. not being used). In the sleep mode, if the
sleep mode settings indicate that the cell phone display should be
dimmed, the dimming function will be activated (step 514). This
function dims the display of the cell phone. In one embodiment, the
display is dimmed to a low-intensity lighting level (i.e. a
sleep-mode light intensity). For example, the display lighting
intensity could be dimmed to a sleep-mode level that is lower than
the light intensity used during the communication mode. In one
embodiment, the display lighting could be set at a particularly low
sleep-mode lighting level, as to not keep the user awake but to
still allow for reading of the display in a dark environment, for
example.
Once the display is dimmed accordingly (step 514), or if there is
no dimming setting specified, the clock function 520 checks if the
sleep mode settings specify that the current time should be
displayed (step 522). Normally, in the communication mode, the cell
phone displays different types of information, such as a main
screen for accessing different applications of the cell phone, for
example. In the communication mode, the cell phone display may
simply turn off after the phone has been idle for an amount of
time. In the sleep mode, if the sleep mode settings specify that
the current time should be displayed, the clock function will be
activated (step 524). The clock function displays the current time
on the cell phone display in a manner that is easily readable. For
example, the time can be displayed in a manner that uses the
majority of the display area, allowing the user to easily view the
current time. Additionally, the low-level sleep-mode lighting that
may be provided by the dimming function 510 also allows the time to
be displayed in an easily readable format. However, the clock
function is not limited to displaying the time in only this manner.
The clock function may display a time using any amount of the
display area.
Once the clock function 520 has adjusted the cell phone to display
the time, or if no such setting was specified in the sleep mode
settings, the alarm mode 540 checks if an alarm time has been set
(step 542). Normally, in the communication mode, an alarm will
sound at an alarm time if an alarm time is set. However, the
communication mode typically does little more than that in the way
of operating an alarm. In the sleep mode, if an alarm time is
specified by the sleep mode user settings, the alarm mode is
activated (step 544). The alarm mode keeps track of the current
time so that an alarm can be provided to the user at the specified
alarm time. In one implementation, the alarm mode can be set to
provide different types of alerts to the user at the alarm time
based on the sleep mode user settings. For example, the user can be
alerted with a particular tone, a song, a voice recording, and the
like.
If the alarm mode is activated (step 544), the snooze function 530
checks if snooze functionality settings are specified (step 532).
Normally, in the communication mode, the hardware buttons are used
for specific purposes, such as sending and/or ending a call,
dialing, turning the phone on or off, and the like. In the sleep
mode, if snooze functionality should be added to the cell phone,
the snooze function will be activated (step 534). The snooze
function 530 prepares at least a portion of the hardware buttons on
the cell phone for conversion from their normal communication mode
functions (e.g. dialing) to a snooze function when an alert is
provided to the user. That is, a portion of the hardware buttons
will be able to temporarily interrupt an alert that is provided to
a user at the set alarm time. During the sleep mode, the portion of
hardware buttons are prepared to operate as snooze buttons when an
alert is provided. At the alarm time, the snooze function will
convert the portion of the hardware buttons to function as snooze
buttons until a specific alarm-off hardware button is pressed.
Once the snooze function 530 has prepared the hardware buttons for
conversion to snooze buttons for the cell phone, or if no such
setting for snooze functionality was specified, the call
suppression function 550 checks if the sleep mode settings specify
that calls and messages received during the sleep mode should be
suppressed (step 552). Typically, in the communication mode, all
calls and messages are received by notifying the user based on
notification options set for the communication mode, such as
setting the notification options so that the cell phone rings upon
receipt of a call, for example. In the sleep mode, if calls and
messages should be suppressed during the sleep mode, the call
suppression function is activated (step 554). The call suppression
function suppresses calls and messages received by changing the way
the user is notified of the received calls and messages based on
the sleep mode user settings. For example, in one embodiment, calls
and messages can be suppressed by changing the notification tone
for calls and messages so that there is no notification tone (i.e.
silent ring tone) for calls and messages received while the cell
phone is in the sleep mode. In one embodiment, certain calls can be
sent to a specific voice message alerting the caller that the user
is unavailable. In another embodiment, the calls that are
suppressed can be sent directly to the user's voicemail. In another
embodiment, calls and messages can be suppressed based on sender
priority settings. For example, calls and messages received from a
high-priority sender may be received with an audible notification,
while calls and messages from others might be suppressed in any of
the manners previously discussed for suppression. These priority
settings could be specified in the sleep mode settings for the
sleep mode application or in settings specified in another cell
phone application (i.e. an address book application). Although
different options for operating the suppression function of the
sleep mode have been discussed, the options for suppression are not
limited to those discussed and can include any variety or
combination of suppression options.
Once the call suppression function is activated (step 554), or if
no such setting was specified, the synchronization function 560
checks if a synchronization settings was specified (step 562). In
the typical communication mode, synchronization normally occurs
when the user specifies the cell phone should begin synchronization
with another device. In the sleep mode, if the sleep mode settings
indicate the cell phone should be synchronized with another device,
the synchronization function is activated (step 564). The
synchronization function synchronizes the cell phone's data (e.g.
contacts, calendars, and the like.) with the data for a specified
device. For example, the device that the cell phone should be
synchronized with may be specified in the sleep mode settings for
the sleep mode application or in settings specified in another cell
phone application (i.e. a synchronization application). During the
synchronization function, the cell phone can update its calendar,
contacts, files, and the like to match the information contained in
the specified device, or vice versa.
In one embodiment, the synchronization function occurs through
wireless communication available through the cell phone. For
example, synchronization can occur through Bluetooth communication
with another device.
Once the synchronization function is activated (step 564), or if no
such settings are specified, the update function 570 checks if an
update setting was specified (step 572). In the normal
communication mode, updates for the cell phone can be downloaded
and/or installed manually. In the sleep mode, a check for updates
can be performed each time the cell phone transitions to the sleep
mode. If the sleep mode settings specify that the cell phone should
check for updates, the update function is activated (step 574). The
update function checks if there are any available updates for the
cell phone. These updates can include, but are not limited to,
software updates for applications, the cell phone operating system
110, and the like. In one embodiment, the cell phone can check for
updates by accessing the cell phone's internet browser application.
If any updates are found online, they can be downloaded and
installed during the sleep mode.
In one embodiment, the cell phone can check for, download, and/or
install updates through wireless communication available through
the cell phone. For example, updates can be found through internet
access provided through any type of RF communication means, as
previously discussed (e.g. wi-fi).
Once the update function is activated 574, or if no such setting is
specified, the custom data retrieval function 580 checks if a
custom data setting was specified (step 582). In the normal
communication mode, content can be obtained and/or refreshed when
the user manually accesses the content. In the sleep mode, if the
sleep mode settings specify that custom data should be retrieved
and provided to the user at the alarm time, the custom data
retrieval function is activated (step 584). The custom data
retrieval function prepares the sleep mode application for
retrieving the specified custom data by, for example, preparing the
sleep mode application to receive a data feed according to the
specified custom data. The custom data can be any data a user would
like at the alarm time, such as new, traffic, weather, sports,
email, stock information, and the like. The desired custom data may
be specified in the sleep mode settings. Prior to the specified
alarm time, the custom data retrieval function 580 refreshes the
custom data by retrieving the specified data feed and provides the
custom data to the user at the alarm time. Again, like the updating
function 570, in one embodiment, the cell phone can access the
specific custom data through wireless communication available
through the cell phone.
Once the custom data retrieval function is activated (step 584), or
if no such setting is specified, the cell phone operates in the
sleep mode (step 440) according to the adjustments made by the
sleep mode functions as described in FIG. 3.
Referring back to FIG. 2, while the cell phone is operating in the
sleep mode (step 440), if the sleep mode settings specify that
custom data should be retrieved and provided to the user at the
alarm time, the custom data retrieval function 580 of the sleep
mode application will check if the current time is some amount of
time (n) prior to the set alarm time (step 450). In the example of
FIG. 2, if the current time is not the alarm time minus (n) amount
of time, the cell phone will continue to run in the sleep mode. If
the current time is the alarm time minus (n) amount of time, the
sleep mode application will retrieve the specified custom data
(step 460) and continue to operate the cell phone in the sleep mode
(step 470). The sleep mode application can retrieve the custom data
at any amount of time prior to the set alarm time. In one
embodiment, the sleep mode application retrieves the custom data
immediately prior to the set alarm time to provide the user with
the most current information at the alarm time.
In some embodiments, steps 450, 460, and 470 are omitted if, for
example, there is no custom data to be provided to the user at the
alarm time. For example, this would be the case if the user did not
want custom data to be retrieved or if the cell phone was not
enabled for receiving custom data. In such cases, the cell phone
would operate in the sleep mode (step 440) and check to see if the
current time is the same as the set alarm time (step 480).
In step 480, the sleep mode application will continue to run in the
sleep mode if the current time has not yet reached an alarm time.
If the current time has reached the set alarm time, an alert is
provided to the user (step 490).
In step 492, the sleep mode application checks if a snooze button
has been pressed. This occurs only if the snooze function 530 has
been activated 534. If a snooze button has been pressed, the sleep
mode application checks if the current time is the same as a snooze
time (step 494). A snooze time can be any amount of time after a
snooze button has been pressed. The snooze time can be a
user-defined setting or a default setting in the sleep mode
settings. In step 494, the sleep mode application will continue to
check if the current time is the same as the snooze time. If the
current time is the same as the snooze time, the sleep mode will
provide an alert to the user (step 490).
If a snooze button has not been pressed, or if the snooze function
530 has not been activated, the sleep mode application will check
if the alarm off button has been pressed (step 496). If the alarm
off button has not been pressed, the user will continue to be
alerted (step 490). If the alarm off button has been pressed, the
sleep mode will end, and the cell phone 100 will begin operating in
the cell phone mode (step 410).
In one embodiment, if custom data was retrieved in step 460, the
custom data can be retrieved again at any time prior to the snooze
time in step 494. At that time, the custom data can be provided to
the user when the user is alerted again in step 490.
In one embodiment, if custom data was retrieved in step 460, that
custom data will be provided to the user when the alert is provided
to the user in step 490 by automatically displaying the custom data
at the alarm time. In another embodiment, if custom data was
retrieved in step 460, the custom data will be provided to the user
at the alarm time through the internet browser for the cell phone.
That is, the user can access the provided custom data by opening
the internet browser. In yet another embodiment, if custom data was
retrieved in step 460, the custom data will be provided to the user
at the request of the user. For example, at the alarm time, the
cell phone could display a prompt for the user to access the custom
data.
Throughout the process of FIG. 2, the sleep mode can be interrupted
or stopped by manually turning off the sleep mode, undocking the
cell phone device, or the like.
FIG. 4A shows an example of a cell phone 600 operating in a
communication mode, as described in step 410 of FIG. 2. The cell
phone display 610 may display menu options for the cell phone's
applications. The hardware buttons 620 may be used to operate the
cell phone's functions.
FIG. 4B shows an example of a cell phone 600 operating in a sleep
mode. The display 610 shows the current time 615 displayed in an
easily readable format, in that the time 615 is displayed over the
majority of the display area (i.e. clock function 520).
Additionally, the display lighting could be dimmed based on the
specified sleep mode settings for the dimming function 510. The
hardware buttons 620 on the cell phone 600 can function as snooze
buttons according to the sleep mode settings specified for the
snooze function 530.
FIG. 5 shows an example of the cell phone 600 docked in a docking
station 700. In one embodiment, the docking station 700 charges the
cell phone 600. In one embodiment, the docking station 700 can
display the time 710 in a an easily readable format as well.
Additionally, the docking station can have its own snooze hardware
button 720 and alarm-off hardware button 730.
Instead of using communication means available on the cell phone
for performing functions like synchronizing cell phone data with
another device, updating the cell phone, or retrieving custom data
for the user, the antenna 740 on the docking station can provide
the same communication means that would be available on the cell
phone (e.g. Bluetooth, wi-fi, and the like.) In one embodiment, the
communication means on the docking station 700 can be wireless. In
another embodiment, instead of the antenna 740, the docking station
700 can be connected directly to, for example, a LAN line.
As previously described, in one embodiment, the sleep mode
application can be initiated upon docking the cell phone 600 in the
docking station 700 (step 410 of FIG. 2).
FIG. 6 depicts an example user interface for adjusting sleep mode
settings that can be stored within the preferences and default
settings for the sleep mode application. However, a user interface
for the sleep mode application can include more or fewer setting
options than shown in FIG. 6. Additionally, as previously
discussed, in some embodiments, the setting options in the example
could be default settings that are preset and/or unavailable for
adjustment by the user.
In the example of FIG. 6, the sleep mode can be initiated by
setting the "Set Sleep Mode" option 310 to "on." In another
embodiment, the user can set a specific time for the sleep mode to
begin. In yet another embodiment, the sleep mode can be
automatically initiated when the cell phone begins charging the
battery or when the cell phone is docked in a docking station.
Additionally, in some embodiments, any one of these indications
could initiate the sleep mode.
The user interface 210 of FIG. 6 also allows a user to set an alarm
time 320 at which a user would like to be alerted and an alarm tone
330 for the alert. Additionally, calls and messages received by the
cell phone can be suppressed 340. Updates for the cell phone's
software, such as the cell phone's operating system or
applications, can be downloaded and/or installed 350. The cell
phone can be synchronized to another specified device 360 so that
data, such as contacts and calendars, on the specified device can
be synchronized with the data on the cell phone. Custom data, such
as news, weather, traffic, email, stock information, sports, and
the like, can be retrieved and provided to the user at the alarm
time 370. Again, embodiments for a user interface for the sleep
mode application are not limited to the example shown in FIG.
6.
FIG. 7 shows an example user interface 800 providing custom data
retrieved (step 460 of FIG. 2) based on the sleep mode settings
specified in FIG. 3. In one embodiment, the weather 810, news 820,
and stock information 830 are provided to the user at the alarm
time specified by the sleep mode user settings. In certain
embodiments, as previously described, the custom data can be
provided automatically to the user at the alarm time, the custom
data can be provided through the cell phone's internet browser, or
the user can request the custom data at or after the alarm time.
However, the manner in which the custom data is provided to the
user is not limited to those discussed.
Although the subject matter has been described in language specific
to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be
understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims
is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts
described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described
above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the
claims.
* * * * *
References